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RTD Chair claims radical fare hikes fair

When the Regional Transportation District embarked upon a fare study last year, the main goal was to simplify our fare structure for all riders as we prepare to open five new transit lines in 2016. The process has been comprehensive, involving in-depth research on the fare policies of other transit agencies; extensive public input from hundreds of citizens, riders and stakeholders; and detailed analysis to help ensure we have proper funding to avoid service cuts.

The end result is a fare structure that positions us for the future as our system continues to grow.

The new fare policies include a revised structure and changes in pricing that will take effect in January. The new fare structure is a simpler, pay-per-boarding concept that aligns bus and rail fares, charging local, regional and airport fares whether you ride bus or rail. Reducing the number of fare categories and having fewer rail zones will let more people take more trips at the lower local fare, actually cutting the cost of riding RTD for many. Our fares for seniors 65 years old and above, students who are age 14 to 19, passengers with disabilities, and Medicare recipients will continue to ride for half-fare.

RTD also plans to phase in a tap-and-pay, reloadable smart card system that will enable passengers to purchase and store fares electronically, and receive fare discounts as incentives to migrate away from paper and cash fares. With the 25-cent smart card discount, riders will only pay 10 cents more for a one-way local trip than they pay now.

One of the most beneficial parts of the new fare structure is the low price Day Pass — the equivalent of one round-trip fare that allows passengers to ride as many times as they want during that service day. This will be a major advantage to many of our riders who need to take several transit trips a day. Passengers will be able to purchase a Day Pass when they board the bus, at all rail stations and through RTD’s new smart card — which, again, comes with a discount.

While the RTD fare study task force has made a lot of progress, it has not completed its work. Our staff is evaluating RTD’s EcoPass and CollegePass programs, and the agency’s Nonprofit Reduced Fares program, searching for ways to make them more efficient, too. In addition, we continue to collaborate with the Affordable Fares Task Force to assess the feasibility of further improving our long-standing discount pass program for low-income individuals.

RTD has launched a public education campaign to help our riders get familiar with the new fare structure, and I encourage everyone to continue to check the RTD website before our new fare policies go into effect next year.

The RTD Board of Directors is making every effort to continue to keep our service at the proper levels. The last thing the board wants to do is to have insufficient funding that forces RTD to cut service, which especially affects those who rely on RTD to get to work, school, appointments and events.

Modifying fares is never an easy process, but as we prepare to expand and improve transportation options across one of the largest service areas in the nation, it is time. Come 2016, as we open the new FasTracks-funded bus rapid transit (BRT) service along U.S. 36 and four rail lines, RTD will have in place a more equitable and simpler fare structure — the first major restructuring in over a decade.

RTD has gone to great lengths to ensure a robust public process, and this has been accomplished through widespread regional collaboration that offers the opportunity for all to participate in this important decision.

Chuck Sisk is chair of the Regional Transportation District Board of Directors.